Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Jubail vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,711 per month in Jubail vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,316 per month in Jubail vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jubail costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jubail and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jubail 20% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 SAR 25.59

$2.10 ฿69.3

224.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.68 SAR 153

$19.84 ฿656

105.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 SAR 33.67

$5.79 ฿191

54.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.85

$1.83 ฿60.4

116.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$0.78 ฿25.61

29.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.31 ฿10.37

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.03 ฿67.1

-22.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.60 ฿52.7

-10.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$1.42 ฿46.75

13.38%

Eggs

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.18 ฿71.9

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.47

$15.91 ฿526

-45.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 SAR 23.31

$3.07 ฿102

102.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.44

$9.87 ฿326

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.63 ฿86.8

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.10 ฿36.19

62.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.63 ฿53.8

-3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.53 ฿50.6

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.24 ฿41.13

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.13 ฿37.37

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$0.74 ฿24.38

127.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.50 ฿16.48

2.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.63

$4.28 ฿141

59.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.90

$0.94 ฿31.13

38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 SAR 90.2

$55.3 ฿1,827

-56.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SAR 12.84

$1.23 ฿40.76

178.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$0.53 ฿17.66

415.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.27

$2.40 ฿79.3

446.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.44 ฿47.55

-58.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

114.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-23.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.1 SAR 305

$64.9 ฿2,145

24.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.49 SAR 103

$13.35 ฿441

105.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$20.83 ฿688

218.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 384

$40.42 ฿1,336

152.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 SAR 150

$3.95 ฿131

911.39%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$6.71 ฿222

100.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$177 SAR 666

$787 ฿26.0K

-77.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,825 SAR 29.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-48.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 SAR 155

$56.2 ฿1,858

-26.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$24.95 ฿824

138.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 SAR 306

$92.7 ฿3,063

-12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 SAR 321

$75.1 ฿2,482

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,595

$484 ฿16.0K

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 SAR 1,100

$287 ฿9,491

1.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,424

$910 ฿30.1K

-29.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 SAR 1,974

$531 ฿17.5K

-0.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,205

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-4.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,016

$605 ฿20.0K

164.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.57

0.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jubail: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Jubail versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 165% higher in Jubail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Jubail versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Jubail vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Jubail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jubail vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Jubail and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Jubail and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Jubail – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Jubail at $1,107. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jubail it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,107 in Jubail. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jubail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.